When this year started, before the move was definite, before spring kicked in, when I still had a job, I had a goal. Solo a 12 and then a 24. Specifically, solo the 24 Hours of Colorado Springs. Life changed, things changed, goals changed. I went from hoping for a 24 solo to being satisfied with time to ride. I got a sweet surprise when the opportunity to solo a 12 popped up. That was a special experience. I knew that doing a solo 24 was out this year, but I can't help having a little 24 Hours of Colorado Springs envy right now.
Some of my old buds are throwing down hot laps right now. Some are throwing down beers right now. All are loving it whether they're hurting or slurping. Some great stories are being swapped, ZZZ are being caught, and the atmosphere, I'm sure, is infectious right now just like last year when I swore I'd be there this time. For now, all I can do is the same as last year, swear I'll be there next year.
In the mean time, cheers.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Day Spa
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Fixie Jingle
I am not a hipster. My fixie is a mountain bike and it is doo-doo brown and beat up.
Tis' the season for fools folly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.
Fixie mountain biking oh gee golly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.
Hit a stump and bust your rump,
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la, la, la
Get back on and don't be a grump,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la!
Tis' the season for fools folly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.
Fixie mountain biking oh gee golly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.
Hit a stump and bust your rump,
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la, la, la
Get back on and don't be a grump,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Bear Jaw Groove Race Review
Last Saturday 9/08/12 I rode in the first annual "12 Hours of Bear Jaw Groove" here is my take on the race. I decided to scrap my ten page historical account of the event. Instead, I will try to sum it up in fits and starts. Here it goes:
Free post race beer should be a 50 mile or greater race requirement. At least one.
Anything above 8,000 feet in an Aspen forest rocks.
Surprise! There is a "surprise parking fee high school fundraiser" at 6am in the morning.
"Um, I'm racing not spectating?" Still a fee. "Um, the course is 20 miles from town, a little notice...that's not really cool man."
Good course, short course.
No "Crested Butte Crusher" climbs. Laps 1-3 bummer. Laps 4-12 thank you course planners.
GPS (Gut Perceptual Sense) logged the main climb at about 2.5 miles long.
GPS logged the ripping descent at about the rest of the course in length.
Short course was a mental menace. Hamster wheel. Hamsters seem to like them.
Not cheap, but not expensive. My shirt fit.
Cool people, cool atmosphere, cool weather. Cool.
Lap 7 "Welcome to the DARK SIDE"
What does 60 miles feel like? 80? What does DNF taste like?
2 laps left, no cramps, time to crack the savings account and throw down.
To my legs, "You guys are really going to let me throw down after all of this?"
Their response, "Yes, please do!"
No free beer. Nobody told me until the end. Stolen carrot.
I don't even carry gears, why the hell would I carry cash?
Next year? Maybe. Good Times.
Free post race beer should be a 50 mile or greater race requirement. At least one.
Anything above 8,000 feet in an Aspen forest rocks.
Surprise! There is a "surprise parking fee high school fundraiser" at 6am in the morning.
"Um, I'm racing not spectating?" Still a fee. "Um, the course is 20 miles from town, a little notice...that's not really cool man."
Good course, short course.
No "Crested Butte Crusher" climbs. Laps 1-3 bummer. Laps 4-12 thank you course planners.
GPS (Gut Perceptual Sense) logged the main climb at about 2.5 miles long.
GPS logged the ripping descent at about the rest of the course in length.
Short course was a mental menace. Hamster wheel. Hamsters seem to like them.
Not cheap, but not expensive. My shirt fit.
Cool people, cool atmosphere, cool weather. Cool.
Lap 7 "Welcome to the DARK SIDE"
What does 60 miles feel like? 80? What does DNF taste like?
2 laps left, no cramps, time to crack the savings account and throw down.
To my legs, "You guys are really going to let me throw down after all of this?"
Their response, "Yes, please do!"
No free beer. Nobody told me until the end. Stolen carrot.
I don't even carry gears, why the hell would I carry cash?
Next year? Maybe. Good Times.
Saturday
I can declare, at 6:38pm, today has been a spectacular day. It started with a family ride to recycle about a month's worth of beer bottles (I towed them in my son's trailer). Sweet. Some other stuff happened and then I spun while my family napped. We went to a birthday party for a four year old and I overheard about 15 bike related conversations. Good Stuff. Cameron Chambers destroyed folks in another race! Awesome news. I'm writing about bikes now. Always fun. Tonight, when the boy goes down, I get to finish up "Project Frankenskareb" which, successful or not, has been sweet. Seeing the inside of a fork is like a Myth Busters marathon. If I'm not satisfied by the end of all this, I can blow apart my son's coaster brake as the icing on my "Bicycle Day" cake.
Operation Frankenskareb
Operation Frankenskareb is in effect. Can a junky old Manitou Skareb Fork be converted into a 60mm fork for an old frame? If so, it will be less sucky than suspension of the 63mm era and thus, the junky Skareb will be transformed into a "good" fork, sort of. If it works, I owe the guys at Bike Works some beer. If it doesn't, I owe the guys at Bike Works some beer.
Stay tuned...
Monday, September 10, 2012
One
The deed is done.
12 hours on 1.
I am not the guy who won,
But I sure had a lot of fun!
The next chapter of insanity has officially begun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)